Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club

There was a time not so long ago that the CIBC would all meet at one lake or another to sail or race. Often it was at Chickawaukee where Lloyd would have a fire going on the beach with a pot of bubbling baked beans. Occasionally there would be some inter-lake rivalry, one group wanting to sail here, the other there, but not often: there just weren’t that many of us.

But never in our memories of Maine iceboating has there been sailing on six different lakes on the same day. And if you count the pressure ridges that effectively make Damariscotta into three separate plates, you have eight.

The Nites are on Clary Pond, the Ruge Skeeter and a Cheapskate (how’s that for a pairing?) on Walker Pond, nine boats and a gaggle of non-feathered wings on Eagle Lake, a few on Megunticook dodging skaters, three on Pemiquid before the ice fishers stove it up, and two at the north end of Dammy, three in the middle and a dozen on Muscongus Bay.

It would seem that iceboating is alive and thriving. Sixteen MIT students came with their four DN’s, some from the tropics who’d never seen a big frozen lake before.

According to the forecast we’re not done yet!

From Tom Gloudemans in NH:

We skated the whole of Lake Massabesic today and it is a beautiful plate! The Eastern shore heading south is a solid 10!
The only worrisome pressure ridge is very noticeable and way up at the South end.
Hoping some captains will read this and show up tomorrow!

And from Eagle Lake, MDI:
Very light winds here today. Ice is flattening out. Expected heavy boating tomorrow on the lake with good wind predicted.

Back on good old Dammy, there should be a good turnout of boats tomorrow at Vannah Rd. The MIT team will be back, marks will be set. Get in the rotation and catch the guy in front of you!

Please park on the ice if you can’t find a spot on the road that has both wheels off the pavement. And just for the record, we can’t launch at Wavus without special arrangements. Please observe.

Such faith we place in the forecasts. It’s always the only nail to hang our hat on but sometimes that nail can fall out, get bent, or just not fit the hat. Today told of light winds. Thoughts of chasing telltales up and down the lake in very cold temps did not make for a motivating morning at the breakfast table.But miracle of miracles the wind was howling at the lake, so much that we chose reduced rigs. Again the ice was spectacular and the boats could be driven as hard as prudence allowed. Thankfully, Prudence never showed up. Down the River, up though the narrows, and back down again. Denis coined a new sailing style: cross country sailing. We scouted a few very narrow straights and island roundings which could be nailed at speed, minding the rocks, roots, and trees overhead.
The pressure ridge blocking Muscongus Bay from the rest of the lake healed at its SW end and could be sailed across.

But the open water persists, above. Aside from that and some pressure ridges in the north end everything is wonderful The big Doc Fellows plate near Wavus is still as smooth, fast and fun as ever. There’s something sublime about working through the tight spots to then open out on a big plate and just let the boat run. After a few mind blasting runs it’s back to the light technical stuff.

Deep Cove, above, always says: “Come in and I will give you
shelter from the storm.”

Down on Eagle Lake, MDI, Michael and the guys check in:
“Ice is good enough. Textured and flat intermixed. Plenty of wind. 4 boats again today. Echo is about the same; Long pond has a pressure ridge and has the same ice as Eagle. Boating tomorrow with kites and wing sails showing up.”

No snow in sight. No wind tomorrow, but we know what that can mean..
Sunday looks better, but whatever happens, eight inches of hard ice awaits your pleasure.

xx

Damariscotta Lake will not give up. Snow: blow it away. Rain: drain it without drain holes. Pressure ridges? Well, yes, but that’s a small price to pay for sailable ice. Aside from Eagle Lake on MDI, this and Clarey Lake are the only good plates we know of. And it’s been thus for nearly two weeks.

This is looking south on Muscongus Bay. Open water lay behind and to the right of the camera. It’s the same pool that’s been there since day one, so most sailors are familiar with it, some more than others…

The sailing will probably be active all through the weekend. Be advised that the open water and pressure ridge block access to the rest of the lake. The deep cold might cure that, but for some reason water stays soft at pressure ridges no matter the temps.

Up near Bar Harbor, the remnants of the Pemetic Ice Yacht Club ripped it up on Eagle:

Michael Young reports:
Eagle and Echo lake are spotty frozen snow covered but flat. The fisherman are out in full force making Eagle a slalom course. The group is sailing tomorrow on one of the ponds. Tunk is being scouted / driven by today. More info when to come. Phillips (on the mainland) was patchy snow covered.

Nothing planned or organized. Call your ice buddies, make a plan, pack a lunch and come sailing.

There will be a fishing derby at Quabog Pond in Brookville, Mass. on Saturday Jan. 29. Other lakes in the region might also see lots of fisherman so if you want to sail that weekend, Maine might be the place to go.